io.sys missing or corrupt

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

OK, here we go. The following test assumes that your
boot environment is damaged and that your Windows
installation is otherwise intact. You need to perform the
steps belowon a WinXP PC with a floppy disk drive.
1. Format the floppy disk.
2. Copy these hidden files to the floppy disk:
c:\ntldr
c:\ntdetect.com
If you have a problem doing this then you can also copy them
from the i386 folder of your WinXP installation CD.
3. Click Start / Run / notepad.exe a:\boot.ini and paste the
following lines into this editor:
[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="1 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="2 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="3 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
Save and close the file.
4. Change the BIOS boot order of the current machine so that
it uses the floppy disk drive as its primary boot device, then
boot this machine from the floppy disk. It should boot up
normally.
5. If successfulo, burn your WinXP Boot CD off this floppy disk
(preferably a CD/RW disk!), then repeat Step 4, this time with
this CD.
6. Boot your problem machine with this WinXP boot CD. Try all
three boot options and note the results.

If this does not work then your Windows installation or your file
system may be damaged. You now need to decide if you wish
to continue with the salvaging effort or if you're happy to start
afresh with a new installation.

 

[scredsfan]

I'm not sure I understand step #5:

"5.If successfulo, burn your WinXP Boot CD off this floppy disk
(preferably a CD/RW disk!), then repeat Step 4, this time with
this CD."


Do I burn the XP boot CD from the files on the floppy? If not, from where?

OK, here we go. The following test assumes that your
boot environment is damaged and that your Windows
installation is otherwise intact. You need to perform the
steps belowon a WinXP PC with a floppy disk drive.
1. Format the floppy disk.
2. Copy these hidden files to the floppy disk:
c:\ntldr
c:\ntdetect.com
If you have a problem doing this then you can also copy them
from the i386 folder of your WinXP installation CD.
3. Click Start / Run / notepad.exe a:\boot.ini and paste the
following lines into this editor:
[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="1 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="2 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="3 Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin
Save and close the file.
4. Change the BIOS boot order of the current machine so that
it uses the floppy disk drive as its primary boot device, then
boot this machine from the floppy disk. It should boot up
normally.
5. If successfulo, burn your WinXP Boot CD off this floppy disk
(preferably a CD/RW disk!), then repeat Step 4, this time with
this CD.
6. Boot your problem machine with this WinXP boot CD. Try all
three boot options and note the results.

If this does not work then your Windows installation or your file
system may be damaged. You now need to decide if you wish
to continue with the salvaging effort or if you're happy to start
afresh with a new installation.

I tried, and now all I get is a message indicating Windows 98 and a c:
prompt. I guess I'm going to need your help with an XP boot disk.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm not sure I understand step #5:

"5.If successful, burn your WinXP Boot CD off this floppy disk
(preferably a CD/RW disk!), then repeat Step 4, this time with
this CD."

Your CD burner has an option to burn a bootable CD. When
doing so, it reads the boot image off the floppy boot disk
currently in your floppy disk drive. Look for "Boot CD" in
the Help section of your CD burner.

 

[scredsfan]

This probably a stupid question, but do I need to burn it from the cd burner
files on the bad PC or can I do it form any XP machine?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This probably a stupid question, but do I need to burn it from the cd
burner
files on the bad PC or can I do it form any XP machine?

You can burn it on any Windows PC. After all, it's a
little hard burning on your problem PC while you cannot
boot into Windows . . .

 

[scredsfan]

well, i burned the xp boot cd and started the machine up. First came the
usual XP start-up screen, and then the screen went blank for several minutes.
Finally i get a message that NTLDR is missing and to press any key to start.
When I restart, I get the same message about NTLDR and pressing any key to
start. The problem is, I checked, and NTLDR is on the disk. I'm stuck - is it
time to take my machine to a local PC repair shop?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You're not telling us which machine you're booting with the boot
CD - the one with the PC burner (as per Step 4 of my notes)
or the problem machine. If you're not experienced in these things
then it's best to follow instructions literally and not to skip any
steps.

As I mentioned before, you need to decide how far you wish
to push the trouble-shooting effort before giving up and
reloading Windows or asking a computer shop for help.

 

[scredsfan]

I'm trying to boot the problem machine. Now, any time i try to start the
problem machine, I get the NTLDR missing message and the machine stops
booting.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Step 4 recommended that you should test the boot CD
on the machine with the CD burner, to ensure that this
is a good boot CD. If you did not do this then you have
a CD of unknown quality. It may not be a boot CD at
all and using it on the problem machine won't get you
any further.

 

[scredsfan]

The CD seemed to work ok on the machine with the CD burner. When I put it in,
it booted straight to XP. Should I try reburning it and see if that works any
better?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

When you tried it on the PC with the CD burner, did it
give you a menu at boot time with three options to choose
from?

When you boot the problem PC with the CD, do you see
the menu with the three boot options?

In either case: If you did not see this menu then you're
not booting from the CD. You're booting from the
hard disk. To boot from the CD, you MUST change
the boot order in the BIOS.

P.S. I will be away from my screen for some 8 hours.

 

[scredsfan]

On neither machine did i get the 3 options. I must have made some mistake
making the CD - could you walk me through it again? I greatly appreciate your
help in all this.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

On neither machine did i get the 3 options. I must have made some mistake
making the CD - could you walk me through it again? I greatly appreciate
your
help in all this.

Step 4 asked you to change the BIOS boot order so that the
machine with the CD burner boots off the floppy disk. Did you
do this? Did it work?
4. Change the BIOS boot order of the current machine so that
it uses the floppy disk drive as its primary boot device, then
boot this machine from the floppy disk. It should boot up
normally.

Step 5 asked you to change the BIOS boot order so that the
machine with the CD burner boots off the CD drive. Did you
do this? Did it work?
5. If successfulo, burn your WinXP Boot CD off this floppy disk
(preferably a CD/RW disk!), then repeat Step 4, this time with
this CD.

Since your problem machine does not have a floppy disk drive,
you cannot set the BIOS to boot off the floppy disk. You must
set it to boot off the CD drive.

 

[JohnB]

I think, when he says "it booted straight to XP", that it did just that;
booted to the OS, and not the CD.

 

[scredsfan]

The machine I'm burning the boot CD on is a at my place of work, and I can't
change the BIOS settings. However, when I checked the BIOS settings on my
machine here at work (the CD burning machine), the boot sequence was:

1.) CD ROM
2.) Floppy
3.) Harddisk

Shouldn't that work to burn and test the CD? On my home PC (the one with the
problem), I set the BIOS to check the CD ROM first, but the machine still
tried to boot straight to the XP operating system without giving me any
choices.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

The machine I'm burning the boot CD on is a at my place of work, and I
can't
change the BIOS settings. However, when I checked the BIOS settings on my
machine here at work (the CD burning machine), the boot sequence was:

1.) CD ROM
2.) Floppy
3.) Harddisk

Shouldn't that work to burn and test the CD?

*** Yes, it should, and this is why I recommended that you
*** boot the office PC off the floppy boot disk that you
*** manufactured. This is your first test and all subsequent
*** tests depend on it. Ask your IT staff to assist you if
*** this is outside your area of expertise.

On my home PC (the one with the
problem), I set the BIOS to check the CD ROM first, but the machine still
tried to boot straight to the XP operating system without giving me any
choices.

*** Can't tell until you have successfully demonstrated
*** that your office machine will boot off the floppy disk
*** and off the CD.

*** On both machines you must see three menu items for
*** 10 seconds:
- 1 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 2 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 3 Microsoft Windows XP Professional

 

[scredsfan]

I'm back to trying to make the boot floppy on my work PC. (the machine that
works) I formatted the floppy, put the ntldr and the ntdetect.com files on
the floppy and then had the machine boot from the floppy. I'm given the three
options you talked about earlier:
- 1 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 2 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 3 Microsoft Windows XP Professional

After that I get a message saying that the hal.dll file is corrupt or
missing and the machine stops booting. So, I put the hal.dll file on the
disk, reboot from the floppy, and the same thing happens - I get the three
options and then the message about hal.dll. What am I doing wrong? Again, I
appreciate your patience in working with me. Thanks!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm back to trying to make the boot floppy on my work PC. (the machine
that
works) I formatted the floppy, put the ntldr and the ntdetect.com files
on
the floppy and then had the machine boot from the floppy. I'm given the
three
options you talked about earlier:
- 1 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 2 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- 3 Microsoft Windows XP Professional

After that I get a message saying that the hal.dll file is corrupt or
missing and the machine stops booting. So, I put the hal.dll file on the
disk, reboot from the floppy, and the same thing happens - I get the three
options and then the message about hal.dll. What am I doing wrong? Again,
I
appreciate your patience in working with me. Thanks!

Well, we're finally making some headway. Since you now get the
three boot options on your office PC, you know that you're booting
off the floppy boot disk.

The version of a:\boot.ini that you created assumes that Windows
is installed in C:\Windows, d:\Windows or e:\Windows. One of
the three options should work on your office machine. Is this
correct?

There is no point of putting hal.dll on the floppy disk. The boot
process will access it only from the hard disk. You must get the
floppy disk to boot your office machine normally, without any
further steps. Only then can you burn your boot CD.

After you have burnt the boot CD, you must test it on your
office PC in the same way as you tested your boot diskette.